A former Michigan city council candidate has dropped out of the race after admitting Thursday during a public forum that she wanted to keep her town “a white community, as much as possible.”
Jean Cramer was recorded on video inside the Marysville City Hall, which is about 55 miles northeast of Detroit.
“My suggestion, recommendation, keep Marysville a white community, as much as possible,” the woman said of the town that has a population that’s more than 90 percent white.
In an interview with a reporter following the meeting, Cramer added she was absolutely against interracial relationships.
“It’s a nice city the way it is,” Cramer said on video. “If a Black couple wants to move in, fine, but to um have mixed marriage, no.”
Cramer submitted a letter withdrawing from the race on Monday, according to 7 Action News.
“I am writing this to withdraw as a city council candidate for the City of Marysville election, November 5, 2019,” she wrote in the letter signed Jean Cramer.
Other candidates in the city council race told 7 Action News the woman’s statement shocked them.
“Just checking the calendar here and making sure it’s still 2019,” Mike Deising said.
Marysville Mayor Dan Damman said: “That kind of racist, unapologetic rhetoric has no place in our city, and I would say that it’s flatly rejected by not just the vast majority but virtually all of our residents.”
Cramer later told 7 Acton News outside her home Friday that she didn’t have enough time during the forum to explain herself.
But even in her interview with a reporter, she said of the town, “We like it the way it is.”
She told 7 Action News foreigners should “go back” and fix the problems in their country instead of coming to America.
